Another record day for India, with more than 97,500 new Covid-19 cases in 24 hours
From CNN’s Swati Gupta in New Delhi
India reported 97,570 new coronavirus cases Saturday, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare — the third day in a row the country has set a global record for daily infections.
India’s total number of confirmed cases stands at 4.65 million, of which about 958,316 are active. The total number of recovered patients stands at more than 3.6 million.
The nationwide death toll is 77,472, according to the health ministry.
The ministry also reported 1,091,251 Covid-19 tests were performed Friday, bringing the country’s total number of tests to 55,189,226.
India is the second-worst hit country in terms of total cases, behind only the United States.
Michigan State University students told to “self-quarantine immediately” to contain outbreak
From CNN’s Elizabeth Joseph
The health department in Ingham County, Michigan, has “strongly” recommended that all local Michigan State University students “self-quarantine immediately to contain a Covid-19 outbreak.”
There are at least 342 individuals affiliated with the university who have tested positive for the virus since August 24.
At least a third of new cases are individuals who recently attended parties or social gatherings, and at least a third of those gatherings are associated with a fraternity or sorority, the health department said Saturday in a statement.
Only 23 university-affiliated people tested positive for the virus in the three weeks before the case surge. The increase in cases began as students returned to East Lansing for their fall semester.
“Although MSU classes are predominately online, many students had binding off-campus leases or simply desired to physically return to the university community,” the statement said. “Self-quarantine should last for 14 days, continuing until 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, September 26. This recommendation is not an emergency order; however, more stringent and mandatory restrictions will be imposed if students do not comply and break the transmission cycle.”
Former Iraqi soccer star dies from Covid-19
From CNN’s Mohammed Tawfeeq
Nadhim Shaker, one of Iraq’s most famous soccer stars in the 1970s and 1980s, has died in the northern Iraqi city of Erbil from Covid-19, health officials told CNN on Saturday.
Shaker, 63-years-old, who was one of the most talented defenders in Iraqi football history and a former Iraq national team coach, died in a local hospital on Friday.
“Iraqi sport has lost one of its bright symbols, who presented achievements to the homeland, worked hard to develop the sport, and spread joy in Iraqis’ hearts.” Iraqi President Barham Salih tweeted Saturday.
Iraq has recorded 286,778 coronavirus cases and 7,941 virus-related deaths since the beginning of the pandemic.
Oxford University’s coronavirus vaccine trials will resume
From CNN’s Niamh Kennedy and Katie Polglase
The Oxford University coronavirus vaccine trials will resume after being halted Sunday after an unexplained illness in one of its volunteers, the university said in a statement today.
The university, which is working with drug giant AstraZeneca, did not say what day the trial would resume.
“Globally some 18,000 individuals have received study vaccines as part of the trial. In large trials such as this, it is expected that some participants will become unwell and every case must be carefully evaluated to ensure careful assessment of safety,” the statement said.
